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Volunteer/Intern

Kids Saving the Rainforest has different projects on biodiversity conservation and research, and we have created a training/volunteer program that allows any animal or forest lover to join us, learn with us and work with us. We believe that we are all capable of changing our attitude towards nature. We believe that through hands-on training we can achieve it and live sustainably.

Our current projects:

Tropical Wildlife Zoo Keeping: Kids Saving the Rainforest has had a wildlife rehabilitation center since 2005. In 2010 we opened a Wildlife Sanctuary and Zoo to keep those animals that cannot be released back into the wild. Some of the animals were pets and are used to humans, some were circus and research animals, and others are too injured to survive in the wild. The volunteers will learn the basics of zoo keeping in a tropical environment with tropically native species. This may include maintenance of facilities (cleaning, repairing, building and enriching cages, trails, etc.), diet preparation and enrichment, behavioral observations, health monitoring, and training. Also the volunteers will learn about tropical biodiversity and the natural history of some tropical animals.

Sustainability: In KSTR we believe that sustainable development and living are very important, and we are constantly researching the best ways to adapt and adopt sustainable practices in all we do. We have chosen perma-culture as a way of restoring degraded land with two purposes. One will be to restore and preserve the original forest of the area, while producing most of the food for volunteers, visitors, and animals in the sanctuary in our organic gardens. The volunteers will help us maintain and expand these gardens, as well as help with composting, planting trees and maintaining a nursery, among other tasks. We strive to implement the principles of sustainability by using perma-culture in all we do.

Monkey Bridges: One of the long-term projects of KSTR is to provide safe connections between patches of forest to tree-dwelling wildlife, also called bio corridors. By providing these ‘bridges’ we reduce the monkeys’ use of electrical lines and human infrastructure. This reduces electrocutions, which is one of the most common injuries seen in animals we receive at the rescue center. Volunteers can accompany the maintenance team and take valuable natural history, geographic and behavioral data while the team works on the bridges.

Kids Camp: KSTR offers local kids a fun alternative for Saturday morning learning about biodiversity, conservation and sustainability for a better world. Volunteers can help set up everything concerning the Kids Camp, from the lesson plans to detailed logistics, which include announcements for the camp. Kids Camp volunteers may also spend some working hours at the KSTR store at Mono Azul Hotel in Manuel Antonio, where we sell products, tours, adoptions, and teach the public about KSTR. All the profits in the store go to our projects.
Basic Research: We believe that a successful project of any nature should be backed up by science, and that is why we try to include basic science projects in all our activities. We are also open to new research and activity project ideas, from volunteers who would like to design their own project. We can also help you design a project that you can submit as an independent study and get credits for.

PARTICIPATION OPTIONS

Kids Saving the Rainforest offers two different types of volunteer placements, which differ mainly in the duration of the volunteer stay, and the amount of responsibility: conservation volunteer (up to three months) or intern (three months or more).

Conservation Volunteers should stay a minimum of one month and participate in all aspects of the work. Applicants from any background are accepted and full training is provided.

Interns should stay at least three months and may stay from three up to several months if they wish. Applicants from any background are accepted, however this placement is more suitable for gap-year students, undergraduates or recent-graduates who wish to gain more experience in wildlife management and conservation. Interns will work with KSTR staff, but will be expected to be independent and proactive, and might receive extra training for specific tasks or research projects taking place.

Also, we accept internship students who wish to undertake research projects for their dissertation, thesis, independent study, capstone study, etc. These students can benefit from the support and supervision or KSTR’s team on biology and wildlife veterinary medicine. Self-generated projects are welcomed, or alternatively, students may inquire with KSTR about our current research interests.

Participant’s General Duties

All participants will work under the supervision of the Volunteer Coordinator and/or an Intern, working alongside KSTR staff and local and/or international volunteers. Daily duties include preparing food for animals, feeding animals twice a day, recording animal behavior and health, cleaning cages, working on our tree nursery, organic gardens, composting, planting trees, maintenance of crops, etc., and will vary depending on each volunteer’s interests. Volunteers should expect to work up to 40 hours per week.

Requirements

All participants are expected to fulfill certain requirements in order to participate in our projects. Work is demanding, repetitive, and can also vary from day to day. Participants must know that they will be working with wild animals that are not pets and should behave accordingly. These requirements are to ensure that volunteers bring the right expectations and enjoy their experience with KSTR.

Need to enjoy working outdoors and be motivated
Able to converse, receive and understand instructions in English and/or Spanish
Minimum age of 18 (minors accepted with parental approval on an individual basis).
Travel and international medical insurance
Flexibility to adapt to changing schedules and weather
Available for a minimum of one month*

*If you don’t have a full month to participate, talk to us, we can tailor a program for you.

Project Site

Costa Rica has long been renowned for the friendliness of its people, high standard of education, enlightened environmental policies, and for its peaceful, democratic government. Most of all, Costa Rica is famous for its stunning natural beauty and the density and diversity of its exotic flora and fauna.

The Central Pacific area of the country hosts a wide variety of ecosystems because it is where the dry forest of the north and the very humid forest of the south overlap. Some estimates of the biodiversity of the region are 109 species of mammals and 184 species of birds.

One of the iconic places in this area that you will be able to explore is Manuel Antonio National Park, chosen by Forbes as one of the most beautiful national parks in the world. Here, KSTR volunteers teach tourists about proper behavior toward wild animals and how to have a safe and enjoyable time.

The volunteer center, the wildlife sanctuary and the permaculture site are located in the quiet surrounding area of the Blue Banyan Inn (www.bluebanyaninn.com), 7 Km (~4 miles) from the nearest town of Quepos and Manuel Antonio. The property is surrounded by forest of different ages, palm, beech, and teak wood plantations.

The volunteer center has shared rooms and bathrooms in a brand new building, and a mini-lounge where you can share the day’s activities with fellow volunteers. This area includes a refrigerator, couch, sink, cabinet space, and satellite TV.
There are mountains nearby and a network of dirt roads to explore the area. The town of Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park are a few kilometers away and volunteers will have plenty of time to explore these places.

CONTRIBUTION FEES TOWARDS PARTICIPATION

Kids Saving the Rainforest is a Non-Profit Organization and we rely on donations to function, as do many other NGOs in developing countries. Nevertheless we are working hard on being sustainable and self-sufficient. Most of our budget is spent at our rescue center, which receives a great quantity of animals per year (116 in 2010) and has no means of making money.

Therefore we rely on volunteers to contribute towards their participation costs. These fees cover 3 daily meals, drinking water, accommodation (shared rooms and bathrooms), Internet (WiFi), satellite TV, one load of laundry per week, travel to project site, onsite and in country support.

Qualifications/Experience:Participant’s General Duties

All participants will work under the supervision of the Volunteer Coordinator and/or an Intern, working alongside KSTR staff and local and/or international volunteers. Daily duties include preparing food for animals, feeding animals twice a day, recording animal behavior and health, cleaning cages, working on our tree nursery, organic gardens, composting, planting trees, maintenance of crops, etc., and will vary depending on each volunteer’s interests. Volunteers should expect to work up to 40 hours per week.

Requirements

All participants are expected to fulfill certain requirements in order to participate in our projects. Work is demanding, repetitive, and can also vary from day to day. Participants must know that they will be working with wild animals that are not pets and should behave accordingly. These requirements are to ensure that volunteers bring the right expectations and enjoy their experience with KSTR.

Need to enjoy working outdoors and be motivated
Able to converse, receive and understand instructions in English and/or
Spanish
Minimum age of 18 (minors accepted with parental approval on an individual
basis).
Travel and international medical insurance
Flexibility to adapt to changing schedules and weather
Available for a minimum of one month*

*If you don’t have a full month to participate, talk to us, we can tailor a program for you.

Salary/funding:NO PAY
Rates and fees do apply

Support
provided for internship/volunteer positions (travel, meals, lodging):100% of the proceeds go to support KSTR projects.
Rates include the following:
-5 working days and 2 days off per week (If you’re here longer than one week.)One day off if you are here for just one week
-Bunk bed at Kstr Volunteers Center
-3 meals per day
-Timely transportation to Quepos/Manuel Antonio
-Laundry one load per week
-Days off at Hotel Mono Azul (www.hotelmonoazul.com)

Term of Appointment:Volunteers can stay:1 wk, 2wks, 3wks or 1 month and Interns: 3 months or more

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contact person listed for that job. Questions and comments about using
the Primate-Jobs web site can be directed to Joe Kemnitz at
kemnitz@primate.wisc.edu.

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